Kidney vows to take fight to Wales

Ireland head coach Declan Kidney has promised his side will step onto the offensive in their RBS 6 Nations opener against Wales in Dublin on Sunday.

Kidney's men head to the Aviva Stadium seeking revenge for their 22-10 World Cup quarter-final defeat to Wales in October.

He has resisted the temptation to make sweeping changes to his squad however and every single member of the 24-man RBS 6 Nations squad travelled to New Zealand.

But Kidney is adamant that there will be plenty of changes in how the match pans out, claiming that despite the absence of long-term injury Brian O'Driscoll, Ireland will be out to attack in Cardiff.

"We knew from the Wales match that there are some areas of defence that we have to tighten up, that was most unlike us, but we have also been looking to broaden the attacking options," he said.

"You can't pre-determine plays based on where you are, decisions have to be made on the pitch. When you are a ball carrier, you should have at least two if not three options for leaving the ball off. We have worked on that and on our awareness of that."

Ireland Women's skipper Niamh Briggs is still relishing her role as skipper in this year's Women's Six Nations, and insists the new blood brought in for the Championship has given her team a new lease of life.